Hunting can be hard. I have witnessed this many times. These last three days were another example. Each day started at four o’clock in the morning and we arrived back home at about ten each night. Most nights we got to bed at about midnight. I’m tired.

The hunt itself was also difficult because the deer were not moving as often as I had hoped. That, with limited sleep, made it difficult to keep my eyes on the surroundings and not on closing. The first day, adrenaline kept me powered. Each hour after that was work. I knew I was in big buck country. The trail cameras had shown sightings of deer that were trophies to anyone. So I knew I was in the right place. With that always on my mind, I tired to limit any of my movement and watch making any unnecessary noise. Again, in the beginning that was easy.

As the hours rolled on, it became increasingly more difficult. The last hours of the hunt, I think I had two sticks up my nose, eating a Little Debbie, while checking all of the football scores on my Blackberry. That would really look good on the cover of Field and Stream.

As I became aware of how I was handling my situation, I was reminded how this is so like my walk of faith and how it is so easy to lose focus when it seems that God is not moving in my life. Of course just as I knew deer were in my area because of the signs, I also knew and know that God is always around as well. And He is always working in my life. It may not always be big to me, but it is to God. And it may not always be easily perceived, but nevertheless, He is doing the work that needs to be done. I know this also because of the evidence.

My problem so many times, is that I begin to let my guard down when I can’t see immediate results. I lose focus and purpose and begin to take my attention away from why I’m here.

When this happens in deer hunting, I usually am either busted by a keen nose or a sharp set of eyes. In my Christian life however, it causes me to either fall to temptation or to miss a fleeting opportunity that just came by.

The answer for our lack of attention is not to keep from having fun but to remind ourselves that while there is nothing wrong with sticks in my nose; we may not be the only one enjoying the sideshow.